Even though this picture was taken several years ago, it won’t be long before many of us will be seeing this as we look out our windows and long for summer. I know it is a few months yet, but now is the perfect time to prepare your greenhouse for winter. It is still warm enough that you can move any plants remaining inside the greenhouse to the outdoors. This will allow you to give your greenhouse a thorough cleaning. Be sure to use a mild disinfectant soap to clean with. Get the mold out of every nook and cranny. I know that we all keep our greenhouses relatively clean, but this is just something that happens with all of the humidity. Check any corners or places where there may be potential leaks and be sure to seal them up. Clean your benches if you have any. Repair or rework your flooring, depending on what you have in place there. Check all lighting and electrical systems. If need be, get a certified electrician in to help you with this. You can never be too safe. Same with your greenhouse heater. Whether you have electric, natural gas or propane, be sure to check your greenhouse heat source and be sure that it is properly connected with no leaks. Also, turn it on and make sure that it works. You may have to go out later in the evening as the temperatures drop to try this, but trust me, it is worth the time and effort to do this. In fact, I think that checking your heating system is the most important part of getting your greenhouse ready for winter. I cannot tell you how many times I have received panicked calls that it is going to freeze tonight and my heater won’t come on. There is just no way to get parts or a new heater to you fast enough. So, even though we are still enjoying summer time temperatures, think about the winter and your greenhouse now.

With the long holiday weekend upon us, there is not a better time to visit a local display greenhouse. I have several favorites. I love to go to Bellingrath Gardens in Alabama. They have a beautiful conservatory. City gardens in New Orleans also has an excellent conservatory. Even the small town of Monroe, LA has the Biedenharn with a beautiful conservatory. If you have a little more time and can take a trip the Biltmore in NC will also take your breath away. Also, Calloway Gardens in GA has a conservatory with butterflies and plants. These are all probably within an 8 hour drive of our location. You will probably not have to go far to find several in your area as well. Take a young gardener along and inspire them. You will find many styles and sizes of conservatories and greenhouses to explore. This article is about a couple of photographers who have started on a quest to explore greenhouses in far away places. I am totally envious of them.

Magnus Edmondson and India Hobson’s greenhouse quest began in Oxford, England, at the Botanic Garden, on a Sunday morning. “We were the only people there, and it was so incredibly quiet,” they write. The only sounds were “gasps of wonderment” and the “occasional sigh.” From there, Edmondson and Hobson, photographers based in Sheffield, were hooked. They began what they call “a self-initiated Greenhouse Tour of the World”—they find, explore, and photograph greenhouses, potting sheds, polytunnels, conservatories, and other indoor spaces made by humans, for plants.

This one is for all of you d-i-yers out there. This article is from our friends at Garden and Greenhouse Magazine. It discusses the different types of hydroponic systems and how to set up your own hydroponics in your hobby greenhouse. I have owned a greenhouse full of hydroponic systems, experimenting with the different types to see which I liked the best. I think I preferred the NFT system. We used it to grow basil. It was as simple as could be.

Experimenting with hydroponic gardening is a fun and productive way for greenhouse hobbyists to expand their horticultural knowledge. The term “hydroponics” is a general name that encompasses all methods of soilless gardening. In other words, there is a multitude of ways to garden hydroponically. However, don’t let the seemingly infinite amount of hydroponic systems deter you from giving hydroponics a try. One of the best ways for greenhouse hobbyists to break into hydroponic gardening is by making a homemade hydroponic system.

You have dreamed for years about owning a greenhouse. Now the time has come. What size do you get? Most people have problems making this decision. I think the best way to start is to think about how you are going to use the greenhouse. If you have plants that you are going to overwinter, I suggest laying them out in your yard in a configuration similar to what you will do in your greenhouse. Then you just measure outside the plants and voila, you have the answer to this question. If you are growing in raised beds, decide what size beds you will have and draw them out on a piece of paper allowing for adequate walkways. The same would apply if you are using systems such as hydroponic systems. Find out their size and draw them in a configuration you like on a piece of paper. When considering raised beds and/or greenhouse staging, you need to be sure that they are not so wide that you are unable to maintain the outside plants properly. I suggest not using any wider than a 3′ bench for benching that will be against a wall. If you are using a bench in the center aisle, it is OK to use a 4′ wide bench. Keep in mind that most of us will be comfortable with a 3′ wide walkway, so be sure to draw them in as well. I do not recommend even trying to put a center bench in a 12′ greenhouse. Lots of people try and I don’t think they are too happy with the outcome. If I would do this, I would only use 2′ wide benches to ensure adequate walkways. I would get at least a 16′ width for a center bench. The best thing to remember is that we are all collectors. You know, that perfect color plant, an unusual vegetable, etc. Don’t buy a greenhouse you will be crammed into with your current plants. Always allow a little room for expansion. If you need any help with this decision, feel free to contact us at Advance Greenhouses.

Building a Polyfilm Greenhouse? Not sure how to attach the film to your greenhouse frame? This video discusses the use of batten tape or base and wiggle wire systems. They are both excellent for wood frames. The wiggle wire system is good for metal frames as well. As always, we hope you find this edition of “The Greenhouse Minute” informative and helpful.

Are you wishing for a lean to style greenhouse as above, but own a ranch style home? You may have 8′ or 9′ attaching height for the back wall, possibly a little bit more. Do you think it is impossible to get a greenhouse attached to your home? Not so. There are 2 different ways we are able to fit these with our Acadian and Evangeline Lean To Greenhouses.

Lower Roof Pitch

Home Attached Greenhouse with Lower Roof Pitch

For our standard roof pitch you have a rise of about 5 inches for every foot that you project away from the house. With our lower roof pitch, we can drop that to about 2 1/2 inches drop for every foot. So, for a greenhouse that projects approximately 10 feet, that would drop your attaching height about 25 inches. That is quite a considerable amount and will accommodate a whole lot of houses.

Fascia Attached Greenhouse

Fascia Attached Acadian Lean To

Still don’t have enough height with our Lower Roof Pitch? We are also able to offer a fascia attached greenhouse. This greenhouse will attach directly onto the fascia of your home, rather than the wall of your home. This will gain quite a bit of extra height, as you need to leave at least a 4″ clearance when you go under the soffit. This is so your roof vents can function properly. Combine this with our lower pitch, and you can attach this greenhouse to just about any home as long as you are not trying to project away from the home too far. If you will notice in the picture we also supply what we call an under soffit fill to fill in from the back of the greenhouse to your home.

In conclusion, just because you have a ranch style home does not mean you have to give up on owning a lean to greenhouse. We are more than happy to help you design the greenhouse of your dreams.

Tip of the Day: When using soil cables in your cold frame attach them to the bottom of a piece of wire so you don’t damage them while digging.

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